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himself,lestitshouldloseprestige.Therewas
sufficientgloryalready(toprobehismindtothe
bottom)forLadyAshbridgeinbeinghiswife;itwas
sufficientalsoforMichaelthathewashisson.
Itmaybeinferredthattherewasatouch
ofpomposityaboutthisadmirablegentleman,whowas
soexcellentalandlordandsohardworkingamember
oftheBritisharistocracy.Butpompositywouldbefar
toosuperficialawordtoapplytohim;itwouldnot
adequatelyconnotehisdeep-abidingandessential
convictionthatononeofthedaysofCreation(that,
probably,onwhichthedecreewasmadethatthere
shouldbeLight)thereleapedintobeingthegreat
landownersofEngland.
ButLordAshbridge,thoughhimselfapeer,
bynomeansacceptedthepeerageenbloc
asrepresentingtheEnglisharistocracy;tobe,inhis
phrase,oneofus”impliedthatyoubelongedtocertain
well-ascertainedfamilieswherebrewersand
distinguishedsoldiershadnoplace,unlessitwastheirs
already.Hewasreadytopayallreasonablehomage
tothosewhoweredistinguishedbytheirabilities,their
riches,theirexaltedpositionsinChurchandState,but
hishomagetosuchwastransfusedwithacourteous
condescension,andheonlytreatedashisequalsand
reallyreveredthosewhobelongedtothefamiliesthat
wereoneofus.”
Hiswife,ofcourse,wasoneofus,”sincehewould
neverhavepermittedhimselftobealliedtoawoman
whowasnot,thoughforbeautyandwisdomshemight
havebeenAphroditeandAthenerolledcompactlyinto
onepeerlessidentity.Asamatteroffact,Lady
Ashbridgehadnotthefaintestresemblancetoeither
oftheseeffulgentgoddesses.Inpersonsheresembled
acamel,longandlean,withadroopingmouthand
tired,patienteyes,whileinmindshewasstunned.
Noideaotherthananobviousoneeverhadbirth
behindherhigh,smoothforehead,andshehabitually
broughtconversationtoaclosebythedryenunciation
